Washing-machine



G. S. BLAKESLEE. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, I916.

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G. S. BLAKESLEE. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1916.

PatentedSept 6, 1921.

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WASHING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED APR.20, I916.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

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Patented Sept. 6, 1921-.

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GEORGE S. BLAKESLEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Application filed April 20, 1916. Serial No. 92,387.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen S. BLAKESLEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to washing machines of a type especially adapted for the washing of sheet-metal boxes provided with hinged covers such as are employed for marketing crackers, wafers, or other small cakes. It is one of the objects of-my invention to provide a new and improved form and arrangement of means by which a box or container of the type above referred to may be forwarded through the machine in position to receive to the best advantage a shower of cleaning fluid. It is another object of my. invention to provide means for drying the boxes or containers as they are forwarded through the machine after the washing operation. It is another object of my invention to provide a new and improved form of partition between the two sections of the tank employed for preventing in a measure the splashing from one of the tanks to the other. It is another object of my invention to improve machines of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The pre ferred means by which I have accomplished my several objects are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and are hereinafter specifically described. That which I believe to be new and desire to cover by this application is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through my improved machine, being taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

V Fig. 3 is a top view of my machine 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line .L- of Fig. 2, but with the forwarding chain mechanism removed;

Fig. 5 is an end view of my machine as seen from the left in Fig. 2, being partly in section; a Y

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through my machine, being taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 3; i r

Fig. 7 is an inner face view of one of the heads of my improved paddle wheel construction;

Fig. 8 is a side view of one of my improved paddle wheels;

Fig. 9 is an outer face view of one of the heads forming the ends of the paddle wheel housings;

Fig. 10 is an edge view of the part shown in Fig. 9 as seen from the left in said Fig. 9

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail, being a fragmentary View, showing a vertical section through the bearing for the paddle wheel shaft supported by the head shown in Figs. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail of one of the links of my forwarding chain adapted to receive a suitable bracket for forwarding the boxes to be washed; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail, partly broken away','showing one of the brackets adapted to be secured upon my forwarding chain.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters,-

20 indicates a tank supported by a framework 21 of any suitable type. A partition 22 divides the tank 20 at an intermediate point into two sections. Circular housings 232i are provided at one side of the tank for the paddle wheels hereinafter described, the housings 28*and 2% being located at opposite sides of the partition 22. Water is adapted to be fed to the tank 20 on the opposite sides of the partition 22 through the piping 25, valves 2627 of any suitable type being provided for controlling the admission of water. The water in the tank is adapted to be suitably heated by means of steam from a line of piping 28 admitted to the tank through suitable nozzles 29. A drain pipe 30 is connected with the tank at opposite sides of the partition 22, being provided with suitable valves 31-32.

Each of the housings 2324= comprises two heads 33 at its opposite ends, preferably in the form of castings as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. A. paddle wheel-shaft 8a is supported by the heads of the housings 2824c. As is best shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the outer faces of the heads 33 at the points where the shaft 3% extends thcrethrough are provided with suitable recesses 35 about the openings through which the shaft 34: extends. Circular housings 86 are fixed in position about the recesses 35, each of which housings incloses a journal member 37 fixed upon the shaft 34. Such water as is forced along the shaft into the recess 35 is stopped by a plate 38 having a close fit upon the shaft 34, whereupon the water returns to the tank through an opening 39 at the bottom of the recess 35. The shaft 34is adapted to be driven by means of a gear 40 mounted thereon meshing with a gear 41 carried by a shaft 42 mounted between the housings 23-24 and adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power by means of a driving pulley 43.

Each of the paddle wheels comprises two heads 44 fixed upon the shaft 34 in suitable spaced relation, as best shown in Fig. 8, such heads being preferably secured upon the shaft by means of set-screws 45, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 Each of the heads 44 is provided with a plurality of sets of lugs 4647 secured upon the head at an angle to each other, in the construction shown being formed integrally with the heads. As is best shown in Fig. 6, the paddles 48 of the paddle wheels, which paddles are preferably made up of lengths of angle iron or of sheet-metal bent into the form of an angle, are supported on their outer faces at their ends by the lugs 46-47, being held in position relative to such lugs by means of bolts 49 extending the full length of the paddle wheels.

With the tank 20 filled with water up to a levelslightly above the lower edges of the paddle wheels, and with the shaft 34 of the paddle wheels being rotated very rapidly in counterclockwise direction in Fig. 6, a considerable amount of water will be scooped up by the paddles and thrown forcibly upward and to the right in said figure. The water in the section of the tank at the right in Fig. 2 is adapted to be provided with soap or other suitable cleaning agent, while the water in the section at the left which is provided for the purpose of rinsing the boxes is designed to be kept as pure and clean as possible. In order from splashing over the partition 22 into the section of the tank containing the rinsing water, the said partition is'inclined at its upper edge to the right in Fig. 2, being adapted thus to direct the wash water back into the tank in lieu of permitting it to flow over the edge into contact with the rinsing water.

For carrying the boxes to be washed oppo site the paddle wheel in the housing 24 for the washing operation and thence onward past the paddle wheel in the housing 23 for proper rinsing, I have provided an endless chain 50 provide-d'with arms or brackets 51 as hereinafter described which are adapted to contact the boxes for pushing them along a suitable slideway. The endless chain 50 is carriedbyaplurality of wheels or pulleys to prevent the wash water 52 suitably supported in position upon the framework and by a sprocket-wheel 53 which is mounted upon a shaft 54 extending transversely of the machine at one end. The shaft 54 has mounted upon its outer an d a sprocket wheel 55 which is driven from tie shaft 34 through the medium of a sprocketrhain 56, a sprocket-gear 57 mounted upon a short shaft 58 and suitable proved type (not shown) connecting the shafts 58 and 34. The driving arrangements are such that the sprocket-wheel 53 is driven in clockwise direction in Fig. 2 so as to carry the lower portion of the endless chain 50 to the left in said figure. The arms 51 above referred to are secured upon the chain 50 at intervals therealong by means of V lugs 59 formed integrally with certain selectedlinks of the chain (see Figs. 12 and 13).

The slideway upon which the boxes to be cleaned are carried through the machine by the conveyer comprising the endless chain 50 and the arms 51 comprises two angle irons 6061'secured in position at a slightly different level from each other, the angle-iron 61 at the side away from the paddle-wheels beingin the higher position (see Fig. 6). The angle-irons 60-61 are supported in position by suitable cross-bars 62 held in position by brackets 63 carried by the walls of the tank. In Fig. 2, two boxes 64 are shown in position upon the slideway, and in Fig. 6 other boxes 64 are shown in position. The lids or covers 65 of the boxes are shown opened up and extending toward the right in Fig. 2,tha-t is to say, toward the rear relative to the direction in which the boxes are moving. As will be appreciated from an inspection of Fig. 6, with the boxes held open toward the paddle-wheels and inclined slightly, the interior of the box is given a very thorough cleaning as it passes the paddle-wheel in the'housing 24 and is thereafter very thoroughly rinsed as it passes the paddle-wheel in the housing 23.

When theboxes reach the left-hand end of a the machine as shown in Fig. 2, they are carried upward by the conveyer into'position upon a second slideway for the purpose of thoroughly dryingthem. For this purpose the angle-iron 60 is curved upward at its end to furnish the required support at the lower edge of the box, The angle-iron 61 is not continued in this way but a flat strap 66 is employed in lieu of a continuation of the angle-iron. For supporting the opposite side of the box in its upward movement, curved guides 6768 in the form of angle irons are. employed, such curved guides 67-68 being formed integrally with the slide-bars 69-70 which form the upper slideway (see Figs. 5 and 6). The angleirons 69-70 are supported in position by a wall portion 71 interposed between the washing and rinsing compartments of the tank gearing of any apand the drying portion of the tank, such wall portion being provided with transversely-extending brackets 7 2 for the mounting of the angle-irons. A steam coil 73 is supported in position underneath the several brackets 72, such coil being adapted to have steam fed thereto from any suitable source by a pipe 74; provided with a suitable valve 7 5. The coil 7 3 is connected with the steam pipe 28, so that the steam from the coil 73 is adapted to pass into the water through the nozzles 29, as abov described. As will be readily understood, when the boxesare carried along the upper slideway to the right in Fig. 2, being held in position to drain thoroughly as shown in Fig. 6, they are very readily dried by their passage over the coil 73 and are delivered at the right-hand end of the machine in condition for immediate use. A trough 76 is provided underneath the angle-iron 69 for receiving and carrying away the water which drains out of the boxes. Another trough 77 serves as a guide for the upper portion of the chain 50 and also serves for carrying away the water which drains from the chain.

At the point where the boxes pass beyond the end of the major portion of the tank 20, a drain-board 78 is provided. In Fig. 1 there is shown a removable cap or canopy 79 which may be used if desired to cooperate with the drain-board 78 for closing that end of the tank.

So far as I am aware I am the first in the art to provide a washing machine of the character described with means for throwing a mass of washing or rinsing water from a tank diagonally upward and outward against and around the cans or similar articles to be cleansed so that simul taneously the outside thereof will be washed and the water may forcibly enter and scour the interior of the article, such as a can, held in an inclined position so that it will drain freely, and consequently may be quickly and thoroughly dried.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a slideway extending longitudinally of the tank adapted to support an article to be cleaned, means for throwing water from said tank into and over the articles on said slideway, a second slideway adapted to support the articles to be cleaned in position for draining, means adjacent to said second slideway for heating the articles supported on said slideway, connections between said slideways, and means for forwarding the articles to be cleaned along said first slideway, along said connections, and thence along said second slideway.

2. The combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a slideway extendinglongitudinally thereof, means for throwing water across and upon said slideway, a second slideway located above said firstnamed slideway, curved guides adapted to control the movement of an article to be cleaned from said first-named slideway to said second slideway, heating means adjacent to said second slideway adapted to dry the articles supported by said second slideway, and means for forwarding an article to be cleaned along said first-named slideway, along said curved guiding means into position upon said second slideway, and thence along said second slideway.

3. The combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a slideway extending longitudinally thereof, means for throwing water across and upon said slideway, a second slideway located above said first-named slideway, curved guides adapted to control the movement of an article to be cleaned from said first-named slideway to said second slideway, heating means adjacent to said second slideway adapted to dry the articles supported by said second slideway, and an endless conveyer extending along both of said slideways and adapted to carry an article to be cleaned from the receiving end of said first-named slideway to the delivery end of said second slideway.

4:. In a washing machine, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, means for carrying articles to be washed along said tank, and means for throwing water across and upon said carrying means, comprising a shaft extending loosely through an opening in the wall of the tank, a housing about said shaft on the outer face of the wall, a bearing member mounted on the shaft and cooperating with said housing for supporting said shaft, and deflecting means adapted to receive the splash of the water through the opening in the wall about the shaft for directing such water back into the tank.

5. In a washing machine, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, means 1 for carrying articles to be washed along said tank, and means for throwing water across and upon said carrying means, comprising a shaft extending loosely through an opening in the wall of the tank, a housing about said shaft on the outer face of the wall, a bearing member mounted on the shaft and cooperating with said housing for supporting said shaft, and a plate mounted upon said shaft adapted to receive the splash of the water through the opening about the shaft and to direct such water back to the tank through an opening in the wall adjacent to the lowermost portion of said housing.

6. In a washing machine, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, means for carrying articles to be washed along said tank, and means for throwing water across and upon said carrying means, comprising a shaft extending loosely through an opening in the wall of the tank, the outer face of the wall being provided with a recess about said shaft, a housing surrounding said shaft about said recess, bearing member cooperating with said housing for supporting said shaft, and a plate carried by said shaft in said recess adjacent to said housing adapted to receive the splash of the water through the opening in the wall about the shaft and to direct such water back to the tank through an opening in the wall adjacent to the lowermost portion of said recess.

7 In a washing machine, the combination of a tank adapted to contain Water, means for carrying articles to be washed along said tank, and means for throwing water across and upon said carrying means, comprising a shaft extending loosely through an opening in the wall of the tank, the outer face of the wall being provided with a recess about said shaft, a housing surrounding said shaft about said recess, a bearing member mounted on said shaft and provided with a circumferential rib which engages the inner face of the housing about its entire periphery serving to support said shaft and to close the housing about the shaft, and a plate carried by said shaft in said recess adjacent to said housing adapted to receive the splash of the water through the opening in the Wall about the shaft and to direct such Water back to the tank through an opening in the wall adjacent to the lowermost portion of said recess.

GEORGE S. BLAKESLEE. 

